May 10, 2024

John,

The labor movement continues to challenge the status quo. A series of Southern, worker-powered victories have captured the headlines as organizers continue to build momentum in a hostile environment.

The first foreign-owned auto plant in the South unionized when Volkswagen autoworkers in Chattanooga, TN overwhelmingly voted to join the UAW. 7,300 Daimler Trucks workers – spanning Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina – were almost forced to strike but won major economic gains like profit sharing. And just next week, autoworkers in Alabama will hold a historic union election at a Mercedes plant in Vance, AL. Workers at the Mercedes plant have already won major concessions like ending two-tier wages. In a last-minute attempt to stop the momentum of organizing, Mercedes ousted its unpopular plant manager.

This is a critical moment with thrilling possibilities for all workers. 

Below, you’ll find more inspiration from the movement, including a new rule from the Department of Labor that helps millions of workers, major wins from the Jobs With Justice Network, and more.

Unions Show a Path To Deep Democracy—Even In Red States

“As more resources are invested in organizing in southern states, many more people have been getting a taste of a different way of being that is translating into breakthroughs we haven’t expected.” Read more.

📺 WATCH: 

Restoring and Extending Overtime Protections

On April 23, 2024 the U.S. Department of Labor issued their final rule which ensures overtime protections or a raise in salary or compensation level for millions of workers. Learn more.

Amazon Says Its Injury Rates Are Down.

They’re Still the Highest in the Industry

"When Irene Tung at the National Employment Law Project (NELP) looked at the underlying data, she saw a different story. “They can congratulate themselves on improvement from an injury rate that was beyond the pale to merely horrific,” she told me. “But it doesn’t mean that there’s no crisis there.” Read more.

For the past year Missouri JWJ has been collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to add a $15 minimum wage and earn paid sick time on Missouri voters' ballots. The requirement was 115,000 signatures. They turned in 210,000! Solidarity to MO JWJ as they wait for signature verification from the Missouri Secretary of State. Follow MO JWJ's work on their newly launched TikTok!

Volunteers and members of Central Florida Jobs With Justice and Jobs With Justice East Tennessee recently published impactful pieces on the important work moving in their regions. Click the headlines below to read!

• Democrats Try to Navigate a Looming Strike in a Swing State (New York Times)

• The anti-union South is starting to crack (CNN)

• Updates on Bargaining from Starbucks Workers United
• Warehouse Workers Protection Act is introduced

The Jobs With Justice crew at Labor Notes, UNITE HERE Local 25 rally, the introduction of the Warehouse Worker Protection Act (WWPA), Chattanooga UAW victory party, and Daimler Trucks rally.

📍Chicago 📍D.C.

📍Tennessee 📍North Carolina